Issei struggles to get up as he feels his bones broken from the impact he just took. Riser slams to the ground and slams his foot into Issei's gut. Rias screams for Issei as she watches him being beat to a pulp. Sirzechs holds her back as he too watches with horror at Issei's fall. "He has to win without us, or else it's illegitimate" Rias shakes her head. "Who cares he's gonna die! I don't want him to die!" Sirzechs cuts her off. "And he won't wanna live without you! Do you really think that saving him will do him any favors Rias! I brought him here! I gave him the location. HE has to WIN!"
Issei groaned as he rose off the floor. "You gotta be kidding me? What's with this crap?" He thought as he looks around to see his two other counterparts. "We can't give you anymore power, or else you'll die" Iessi spoke. Issei however shakes his head. "Shoulda went with the Harem pal" Lord Issei said. "You bet on the wrong horse." Issei spat at Lord Issei's face.
"Screw you to Hell! I DON'T NEED YOU THEN!" Those words took Lord Issei by surprise. Issei walks over to him and grabs him by the collar. "Yes, do it!" Iessi yelled. "MAN WHAT ARE YOU?!" Issei grabs Lord Issei and suffocates him. "Kicking you out of the body. Yes I know that'll make this douche more powerful and you're easier to work with. But he also loves Rias and given the situation you'll make this impossible to win. I have no other choice! Tools are only needed in their ideal situation, I am the builder! NOT YOU TWO!"
"NO STOP!" Lord Issei yelled as Riser stared down at Issei, who laid on the ground quietly. "That's too bad Issei!" He grabs the boy by the shirt and raises him off the ground. "Looks like I'll have to kill you now. Oh how the tables have turned!" Riser spoke. "SHUT UP! DAMN YOU DIE ALREADY!" Issei screams at both Riser and Lord Issei. Lord Issei finds himself casted out of the body as Issei's gauntlet glows purple. His hair black and his eyes also a dark mysterious purple. He slams his head into Riser as he feels himself and Iessi controlling the body in unison. He then pulls out a bottle of holy water and rips the cap off with his mouth.
As the remaining power left in his gauntlet transfers to the water it burns Riser's face. Once more covering him with blood as he screams horribly in pain. He cries and screams in pain as his fire tries to quench the soggy water, but instead of evaporating it melts him like acid. Riser keeps using his flames trying to relieve himself of this torturous pain, but instead his mind corrodes. Issei then gets back up and dodges a fire ball that blows up the last chess piece standing on the board. He then lets his wings span out, big black wings that resemble the skeletal structure of one. His eyes glow, now one of them red, green, and gold as the other stays purple. He aims his gauntlet as he holds a cross and splashes some more holy water on it. With barely any energy left he aims the laser as the gauntlet glows all different colors of the rainbow at the devil.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! SATAN! HE THREATENED TO KILL HIS DAUGHTER!" Riser yells. "Not my problem!" Issei uttered. "RIAS YOU IDIOT! SHE'S HIS DAUGHTER! Her whole family, her father, Sirzechs, they're all siblings!" Everyone felt the world stand still as they stared at Riser. "Wait, no this can't be" Sirzechs said. Jesus then puts his hand on their shoulders as he looks at them with sorrow. The two realize that Riser is telling the truth and feel their eyes water. Who they thought was their mortal enemy, was their greatest ally. Their whole world was upside down, rightside up. "Lord, get my dad here NOW!" Sirzechs yelled, worrying everyone around as he dared to stare God in the face and give him a command. God looked down at Sirzechs with compassion as the man was on the verge of breaking down. Sirzechs turns around and looks at Rias with tears in his eyes. "Please lord, I can't. I need a word with him! PLEASE!" He asks with desperation in his voice.
The battle continued onward as Rias and Sirzechs continued to talk with Jesus, Riser threw a punch at Issei, who then grabs his arm and throws him to the ground. "AND SATAN WOULD HAVE HAD RIAS KILLED! You see he's a monster! Rias is why Lilith was locked up! You were meant to be a prophet of God to lead people back to him from this place, and she would be your helper, like how God has the Holy Spirit! So they beat her! God's plan isn't WORKING!" Riser yelled. Rias feels her heart break once more, suddenly remembering her earliest years. Lilith the cruel mother, and Satan the demonic father. "No way….
He's right…."
"I need to marry her! Satan won't leave her alone unless I do so! You don't understand this marriage is more than just our two houses combining. It's about saving her from the real demons! Issei don't you love her?! Protect her from him!" Riser uttered with gurgles from the chunks of blood scattered all around his body.
"And what happened to fighting him for her? Why don't you stop acting like a coward and do so? Yet instead you bend to his will like iron in a fire. Turning all those people into those horrible monsters. THOSE WHERE MY PEOPLE!" He says as he angrily wraps the cross around his neck as the laser pierces Riser's gut. He then throws a punch to Riser's head as the cross's chain acts as piano wire to the neck. Riser roars like a rabid caged pit bull as the two wrestle on the floor of the arena.
"ASK JESUS TO FIGHT HIM! HE JUST DID AND WON! IF RIAS IS SO IMPORTANT TO GOD THEN ASK HIM TO PROTECT HER INSTEAD OF BENDING TO THAT CREEPS WILL! YOU RUINED HUNDREDS OF LIVES, NO THOUSANDS OF THEM! YOU'RE A MONSTER! A DEMON! YOU'RE LIKE STALIN AND HITLER, BUT AT LEAST THEY CARED ABOUT SOMETHING!" Issei loses his breath as he almost blows out his vocal chords. "You don't, you're using this as an excuse to gaslight me right now. You know we can protect Rias, you just want to be the good guy while getting what you want from Satan….." Issei the turns Riser's head so he can stare into his eyes. "I say you bet on the wrong horse." The cross chain breaks and Issei is elbowed in the face. Riser tries to run as Issei gets up and charges one more blast from his gauntlet with all the energy he has left. "The fact that you'd make her marry you for her protection, rather than actually protecting her, KNOWING FULL WELL SHE HATES YOU! Knowing full well we are just as capable if not more than protecting her than you!" Issei then aims his gauntlet as he feels his whole body regenerate.
"I know all that I need to know." Riser looks back at Issei with tears as he coughs up blood. "What are you saying?" He asks with defeat. "NO STOP! GET AWAY!" Ravel yells as she flies over. She departs from Rias and Sirzechs. She uses her body to shield Riser as Issei marches up towards Riser. "GET AWAY!" Riser sees Ravel flying over as panic grows within him. "Ravel no!" Riser yells. "You wanna join him? Then hold still" Issei utters. "ISSEI NO! PLEASE! I'm sorry!" Issei then shoves Ravel to the ground and grabs Riser. As the two wrestle around once more a second wave of demons attack the party.
"You know Issei, I was once just like you!" Riser yells as he throws a punch at Issei, hitting him in the nose. "It's true. I was once in love with someone, and she broke my heart. I spent years wondering what I did wrong, rather than moving on. And I eventually found myself here, running away from my father for "falling in love". It was love that got me outcasted. So I resorted to lust, but it wasn't enough. My harem can only do so much Issei!" Issei almost laughs. "Oh cry me a river, we all get rejected at some point. You're not special!" He says grabbing Riser's arm and pinning him to the ground. "Boo hoo, wanna cookie to make you feel better?" He then starts to twist his arm, showing no restraint as he goes to break it. Riser screams in pain as Ravel tries to stop Issei, however a giant red tentacle stops her as it smashes through the floor. A sinister figure stares down wearing a mask exposing teeth where a zipper for the mouth was. Made of black leather, it was the persona of a king himself. "Hello there"
"RODNEY STOP! I'M SORRY! TO BOTH OF YOU! TAKE ME INSTEAD!" Issei looks back at Rodney angrily. "There's two of us and only one of you! I CALLED DIBS FIRST!" Issei says as he finds himself unable to control his new form. He looks back at Rodney ready to attack. Riser looks at the party from the portal showing them their battle. Rodney stops chasing after Ravel as he looks at his brother on the ground with Issei on top of him. "I deserve this. This is my fault. I'm, I'm sorry" Riser said softly, causing Issei to snap out of his trance. "What?" Issei asked.
"I said I'm sorry! For how I went about this I am truly sorry. But for liking Rias! NEVER! You should know of all people what it's like Issei! They all look at you weirdly, and judge you for something you can't control. Make fun of you! Hell they say you're in the wrong sometimes! So you give up on the idea of love, it's just a fantasy that you wish no one else can have. You chase after as many women as possible and make them like you. Impress them with all sorts of tricks and satisfy every last lustful thought you crave. I know you know what I'm talking about Hyoudou!" Issei takes a moment to pause. "Yeah, you're right" Issei says standing up as Riser was left on the ground bleeding with a broken arm.
"But now I also know how incredibly petty that is. How horrible it is to rob someone else of that dream. Maybe you're Harem of rooks, pawns, and knights don't mind, but Rias did."
Issei grits his teeth as he powers down. "You tormented her and became the very thing you swore to destroy." Riser sits up. "Yeah, keep reminding me Issei. I'm well aware by now." He says taking heavy quick breaths as he laid in his own blood. "I can't feel sorry for you Riser. You said it yourself, I know how it feels. Yet you see me enslaving Raynare and her whole group to fulfill some kinda petty revenge scheme?" Issei then looks at himself as he feels his body shaking, remembering Lord Issei's influence on him. "Yeah, at one point I did. I moved on, but it appears you allowed it to consume you." Issei said looking down at Riser. "You know what Riser. I'll let you live. Come on Rodney, we won. Forget this dump."
Rodeny looks at Ravel and breaks a finger of his. He then powers down and joins Issei. The two walk away leaving Ravel to help Riser on her own, screaming for her parents like a little girl as members of the Phenex household rush to his air. Rodney and Issei walk away side by side, not looking back. They all fly away as the chess board breaks entirely now, suddenly Issei's wings give out. "What the?!" Rodney tries to catch Issei as he creates wings. However He misses, Issei who's low on energy falls down below as the rest of the Gremory house flies up to try and catch Issei.
Satan stays back as he watches Koneko catch Issei. She's joined by Yuuto, Akeno, and Rodney, who all congratulate Issei as they ask how he was able to keep up. Issei, overwhelmed, does not even process their words. Suddenly, Issei feels himself drop as Koneko throws him. As he falls he feels the warm embrace of Rias hugging him as they float in the air. She snuggles her nose into Issei's neck as he hugs her back. "Rias....." Issei says calmly. "I don't even know what to say" Rias says. "So now you believe me?" Issei asks Rias lands on the ground away from others in the giant castle. "I'm sorry if I creeped you out in the beginning. I'm better now." Issei chuckles a little as he finds himself walking around on the dry grass outside the castle. "It's hot, sometimes." He says jokingly. Rias blushes as Issei looks up at the night sky. Rias then puts her hand on his cheek as the guests all start to take notice of them. Squads of angelic soldiers finish burning the bodies of the demons as they look at the two, seeing a third figure join their ranks. "ENEMY SPOTTED!"
Rias and Issei look to see Satan right in front of them. "No, no I'm-"
I should have dealt with you a long time ago.
You ruined me and Lilith, we'll never be together. And now with Joker running around I'll lose her to him!
Satan spoke.
"GET BACK!" Issei says as he points his gauntlet at Satan. "I SAID GET BACK! I'LL KILL YOU WHERE YOU STAND!" Suddenly as Issei shields Rias with his body ten angels all show up as Satan takes flight. He roars like a lion at the angelic warriors as he flees from the area. Issei held Rias as they hugged once more. The angels pursue Satan as the sky turns back to its dark blue, lightened up by the moon. Issei looked around as flames burned what was left of Riser's little world. As he held Rias,s he noticed Issei's arm with scar tissue all over it.
"Silly boy, you gave up your arm for me…" She says stroking his metal gauntlet. "Yeah" Issei said. "I doubt God will get it back, knowing you, you'd just resell it again." Rias said softly. "If that consequence is you being in my lap, that's all I need." Rias looks at Issei shocked. "My body will die and wither with time anyways. He said it himself. This life is only a fraction compared to the next one. And I want you with me when that time comes." Rais looks at him almost disappointed yet full of glee. "Oh Issei. This won't be the last we hear of this."
"I know," Issei said softly, cradling Rias as he looked up into the dark abyss of the night sky. He sighs to himself as he looks around to see life within the underworld flourish. The flames of destruction destroyed beauty as demons were casted out. He then proceeds to open a portal as the other members of the Gremory Household make contact with the ground. "Issei!" Asia shouts as her head appears through the portal. Issei carries Rias through, not looking at the other members. Asia looks at them, who seem sad as they look at Issei with concern. Issei glances back at them briefly before he then continues to walk through the portal.
"Let's go home"
To be Continued….